Iowa Power Farming Show Begins

For those braving the cold weather, one of the biggest indoor farm show in the U.S. is going on in Des Moines this week. The Iowa Power Farm Show will be rolling until Thursday at the Iowa Events Center.

Hosting 740 companies, including 78 new companies to the show, together they represent 58 different types of products or services. Along with seminars and shows including an ag innovation pitch competition, which will award a $20,000 prize for the best idea.

Cindy Feldman with the show says it is an opportunity for farmers to prepare for the planting season, "They're watching their costs. Their input costs. So that's important to them. But they're still keeping a pulse on technology. They want to know what's coming down the pipe once the prices improve. So their pricing, equipment. Everything from big iron, all the way down to the smaller things."

Some of the companies providing services are market analysts, including a regular on the Agribusiness Report, Bryan Doherty with Stewart-Peterson. He will be speaking at several sessions this week, the show also gives him an opportunity to talk to farmers.

Doherty says, "You know, we want to make ourselves available. Have one-on-one conversations. We're also in the show today, in fact all three days we're hosting the breakout session on marketing. As well as some outlook. So what brings us to the show is just the opportunity to get out, meet with farmers, hopefully meet some new people."

Show hours are 9-4 on Wednesday and 9-3 on Thursday. Farmers can sign up online at www.iowapowershow.com to save $5 off the $8 admission.